Now that the domestic football season is over with the final play-offs decided and the FA Cup put away in the trophy cabinet, it’s time for the national team to take centre stage as England travel to Brazil for the World Cup.

That makes a refreshing change to be honest because following England is similar in a way to being a Coventry City fan - you build up your hopes and have positive expectations but ultimately you end up being let down and sobbing into your beer.

But the hype gladly is low key at the moment and not many I reckon will be saying, yes, England can lift the gold statue down in Brazil.

Yet come the opening game verses Italy us foolhardy fans will have got it into our heads and hearts that the Three Lions will go all the way and perform like kings of the jungle, and not like timid little pussycats.

That’s what hype and expectation can do as it’s a heady mix and a lethal cocktail but we love it and even though deep down we know it’s going to end in tears we ignore it and hope for the best.

The pubs and bars will be covered in flags and bunting and many will be packed to the rafters when the games are on fridges will be stocked up with cans of beer, and football haters will be moaning and groaning and mumbling that we’re all insane.

England's Wayne Rooney (Image: Nick Potts/PA Wire)

I was only 12 years of age when England won the World Cup back in 66 but I remember vividly the wild celebrations going on everywhere and not just in our house!

The whole country seemed to unite just like Coventry did when we had our glorious day at Wembley in 1987, showing that football can lift the spirits and bring people and communities together even if it’s only for a short while.

Since Bobby Moore ran around Wembley with the likes of Nobby Stiles, Bobby and Jackie Charlton and the hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst holding the trophy in his hand, England have never been able to repeat the feat and be World Cup winners.

But they have since 66 reached the quarter finals four times in 1970, 1986, 2002 and again in 2006. And in 1990 they reached the semi-final, losing out in penalties to our nemesis Germany.

It was in one of those quarter-finals in 86 we lost to Argentina where the infamous “hand of God” incident took place when Maradona clearly handled the ball into the net and we got cheated and lost 2-1.

Although that was also the match where he scored one of the best ever goals at any World Cup when he took on our defence on his own leaving them trailing behind him as he put the ball past Shilton in goal.

So can Roy Hodgson’s squad of players go to Brazil and do what Alf Ramsey’s did back in 1966 and win the World Cup?

Will Hodgson go for youth and let the youngsters go out there and show us what they can do ? And will we win a game on penalties if it came down to a shoot-out ?

Questions that will get answered very soon but I’m looking forward to it and all I want like all England fans is that they go there and give it their all and if they do that they can come back home with their heads held high.